This document discusses the author's career journey in frontend development and Drupal, including explanations of what Drupal and frontend development are. It then covers the author's experience working at various agencies. A section titled "Findings on Women in Tech" discusses challenges faced by women in tech like imposter syndrome and "bro culture". The author provides ideas for increasing gender diversity such as making computer science part of core education, allowing flexible schedules, early exposure, appealing to women in marketing, and active recruitment of women.

1. It’s All Geek to Me

2. Kathryn McClintock
Frontend Drupal Developer
@kccmcck

4. Class of ‘07

5. Overview
Drupal & Frontend, explained
My journey to Amazee Labs
Working for a Swiss agency
Findings on Women in Tech
Being female in the web industry
Ideas on increasing gender diversity
1
2
3
4
5
6

6. Overview
Drupal & Frontend, explained
My journey to Amazee Labs
Working for a Swiss agency
Findings on Women in Tech
Being female in the web industry
Ideas on increasing gender diversity
1
2
3
4
5
6

7. What is Drupal?
• Content management system
• Open source software, free to
download and build upon
• Built and maintained by a
worldwide community
• Platform powering millions of
websites and applications

8. Built with Drupal

9. • Translates static designs into markup
• Design in browser
• Write scalable code
• Build responsive websites
• Perform cross-browser, cross-platform,
& cross-device testing
• (always!) Research new technologies
Frontend Development?
What is

10. Overview
Drupal & Frontend, explained
My journey to Amazee Labs
Working for a Swiss agency
Findings on Women in Tech
Being female in the web industry
Ideas on increasing gender diversity
1
2
3
4
5
6

11. A Bit About Me
• Fell in love with websites my 8th grade year
• Obsessed over typography and learning HTML
• Built first client website using Microsoft FrontPage
• Webmaster for sorority website during college

12. A Bit About Me
• Introduced to Drupal at Rackspace
• In 2008, joined a Drupal-exclusive
web design + development agency
in Boerne, TX
• 3.5 years ago, found Amazee Labs

13. Overview
Drupal & Frontend, explained
My journey to Amazee Labs
Working for a Swiss agency
Findings on Women in Tech
Being female in the web industry
Ideas on increasing gender diversity
1
2
3
4
5
6

14. The A-Team 2011

16. The A-Team Today

18. + Amazee Metrics

19. The tech industry is a
great field for travel.

24. Overview
Drupal & Frontend, explained
My journey to Amazee Labs
Working for a Swiss agency
Findings on Women in Tech
Being female in the web industry
Ideas on increasing gender diversity
1
2
3
4
5
6

25. Being female
is the story.
1

29. “I’m also very good at my job, and as a
technologist, I want to be recognized for that
and not because I have breasts.”

30. WiT initiatives
have gone awry.
2

31. –Lea Verou
“I believe [female-only events] cultivate the notion
that women are these weak beings who find their
male colleagues too intimidating. That they need an
isolated female-only environment to feel “safe” in
and thrive. As a woman, I find it insulting and
patronizing to be viewed that way.”
Female-only Events

33. –Lea Verou
“If somebody is a good role model, they’re a good
role model for everyone, regardless of gender.”
Female Role Models

34. Women are quitting.
3

36. It’s the culture.
4

37. What is
“Bro Culture”?
• Hack-a-thons
• Beer
• Booth babes
• T-shirts
• Legos
• Video games
• Ping pong tables
• Apple Fanboy
• Rockstar
• etc…

42. Overview
Drupal & Frontend, explained
My journey to Amazee Labs
Working for a Swiss agency
Findings on Women in Tech
Being female in the web industry
Ideas on increasing gender diversity
1
2
3
4
5
6

43. Impostor Syndrome
1

44. Impostor syndrome describes a situation where
someone feels like an impostor or fraud because they
think that their accomplishments are nowhere near as
good as those of the people around them. Usually, their
accomplishments are just as good, and the person is
applying an unfairly high standard to themself (and not
to others). It's especially common in fields where
people's work is constantly under review by talented
peers, such as academia or Open Source Software.

45. “Wait, you’re the
developer and
he’s the designer?”
2
- everyone

46. I’ll never be
“one of the bros.”
3

48. Overview
Drupal & Frontend, explained
My journey to Amazee Labs
Working for a Swiss agency
Findings on Women in Tech
Being female in the web industry
Ideas on increasing gender diversity
1
2
3
4
5
6

50. NO WAY!

51. Make computer science
part of core curriculum.

52. Allow flexible
work schedules.

53. Start early.

55. Appeal to women.

56. Actively recruit
and hire women.

57. Assert yourself.

59. Thank you!
kathryn@amazeelabs.com
@kccmcck